Liver Disease News and Research

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The liver is one of the largest solid organs of the body. It is located in the upper right part of the abdomen. Most of the organ lies under cover of the rib cage.

Research findings could lead to better tests for predicting breast cancer spread

A study combining tumor cells from patients with breast cancer with a laboratory model of blood vessel lining provides the most compelling evidence so far that a specific trio of cells is required for the spread of breast cancer. The findings could lead to better tests for predicting whether a woman's breast cancer will spread and to new anti-cancer therapies.

26 Nov 2014

Six Albert Einstein College of Medicine faculty members selected as AAAS Fellows

Six faculty members at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. This year, 401 members have been awarded this honor by AAAS because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.

25 Nov 2014

Children with NAFLD at substantial risk for high blood pressure

High blood pressure and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are two emerging health problems related to the epidemic of childhood obesity. In a recent study, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine sought to determine the prevalence of high blood pressure in children with NAFLD, which places them at risk for premature cardiovascular disease.

24 Nov 2014

New cell therapy offers hope for patients with liver cirrhosis

Liver disease patients could be helped by a new cell therapy to treat the condition.

24 Nov 2014

AGA's journals highlight important updates into treatments for cirrhosis, NAFLD

Cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are two serious liver conditions with limited pharmacological treatments. The December issues of AGA's journals -- Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Gastroenterology -- highlight important updates into treatments for these two debilitating diseases.

23 Nov 2014

Excessive alcohol intake is not just the realm of alcoholics

Excessive alcohol consumption, which is responsible for 88,000 deaths annually in the US, is commonly assumed to occur in people who are alcohol-dependent. However, of these deaths only 3,700 were due to alcohol dependence. A study published yesterday found that in 9 out 10 cases, adults who drink too much alcohol are not alcoholics or alcohol-dependent.

21 Nov 2014

New treatment for Marfan syndrome works as well as beta blockers

A new treatment for Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disease that can lead to heart problems, works as well as the currently recommended medical therapy, beta blockers, according to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine.

21 Nov 2014

Research finding points to potential new treatment for metabolic disorders

Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered how a previously unknown hormone serves as a messenger from fat cells to the liver and are investigating the potential of developing a new treatment for metabolic disorders.

17 Nov 2014

Montefiore Medical Center receives $3.5M grant to advance treatment for hepatitis C

Montefiore Medical Center received a $3.5 million grant as part of the $10 million Health Care Innovation Award from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services to identify, diagnose and treat people with hepatitis C (HCV).

13 Nov 2014

New treatment regimen for hepatitis C in transplant patients produces promising results

A new treatment regimen for hepatitis C, the most common cause of liver cancer and transplantation, has produced results that will transform treatment protocols for transplant patients, according to research published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

12 Nov 2014

Study examines overall survival of patients with chronic HCV infection, cirrhosis

Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis who attained sustained virological response (SVR) had survival comparable with that of the general population, whereas patients who did not attain SVR had reduced survival, according to a study in the November 12 issue of JAMA.

12 Nov 2014

Two new oral medications post-transplant is safe, beneficial for patients with hepatitis C

All patients with hepatitis C who receive a liver transplant will eventually infect their new livers. These transplanted organs then require anti-viral treatment before they become severely damaged. But traditional post-transplant hepatitis C therapy can take up to a year, is potentially toxic and can lead to organ rejection.

11 Nov 2014

Resonance Health launches new diagnostic imaging solution for patients with fatty liver disease

ASX listed Resonance Health officially launched an innovative new diagnostic imaging solution for liver patients worldwide at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases annual conference in Boston this week.

10 Nov 2014

Obeticholic acid improves liver health in people with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

An experimental drug aimed at treating a common liver disease showed promising results and potential problems in a multicenter clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health. The FLINT study found that people with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) who took obeticholic acid (OCA) had improved liver health during that period, including decreased inflammation and fat in the liver and decreased body weight versus people receiving a placebo. OCA was also associated with increases in itching and total cholesterol.

7 Nov 2014

D-LIVER project aims to help patients with chronic liver disease

A European ICT for Health project aims to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic liver disease, by developing a remote support system to monitor their condition at home.

6 Nov 2014

Einstein-Montefiore researchers to present latest finding on aging research at GSA 2014

Investigators at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center will present their latest aging research at the Gerontological Society of America's 67th Annual Scientific Meeting.

31 Oct 2014

Einstein, Montefiore receive grant to establish home health services for people with IDD

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center in collaboration with Developmental Disabilities Health Alliance of New York and Community Resource Center for the Developmentally Disabled, Inc., have received a $2.4 million grant to integrate medical and mental healthcare for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

22 Oct 2014

Newly developed agent filters out toxins from body in the event of overdose

Every minute counts in the event of an overdose. ETH professor Jean-Christophe Leroux and his team have developed an agent to filter out toxins from the body more quickly and efficiently.

17 Oct 2014

MGH, MIT partner to accelerate development of diagnostic tools and therapies

A novel partnership between Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Institute of Technology is addressing three major challenges in clinical medicine – improving the diagnosis of disease, developing new approaches to prevent and treat infectious and autoimmune diseases, and developing more accurate methods of diagnosing and treating major neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. While individual collaborations between MGH and MIT investigators are nothing new, this formalized strategic partnership is designed to accelerate the development of diagnostic tools and therapies.

16 Oct 2014

Decaffeinated coffee may benefit liver health

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute report that decaffeinated coffee drinking may benefit liver health. Results of the study published in Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that higher coffee consumption, regardless of caffeine content, was linked to lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes. This suggests that chemical compounds in coffee other than caffeine may help protect the liver.

10 Oct 2014